I often see a sign on buses (city buses, airport shuttles, etc) that says “do not talk to driver while bus is in motion.” Is this a matter of bus companies setting their own policy, or is it state/federal law? I’m particularly interested in the situation in Michigan, but I can’t seem to find any mention of it online.
A few years ago, I was on a jury in a civil case where a male bus driver was accused of chatting up a cute young female passenger and not paying attention to his driving, resulting in injury to another passenger. Nobody mentioned anything about this being illegal. I would think if it were illegal, the plaintiff’s lawyer would be making a point of calling it to our attention.
Of course, this is not proof that it is not illegal. And maybe it’s just illegal for a passenger to talk to the driver and not vice versa. Make of this what you will. This was in Illinois.
It could fall under distracted driving statutes, as a cognitive distraction.
Conversation with a passenger is specifically mentioned.
Probably only enforced this way if someone makes an obvious mistake while obviously engaged with their passenger, but of course a company is going to want to follow the letter of the law to a T to avoid any possible civil liability.
Where is it specifically mentioned? In a Michigan law? Which one?
I used to practice harmonica as I waited at the bus stop in the morning. One day the bus came and there was no one else on board, so I continued to quietly practice. Until the driver said, hey put that thing away.
Not very relevant, but that’s my bus driver story.
Which federal law do you think might be violated?
Maybe it’s just a local policy? It would not surprise me if bus drivers get buttonholed by people trying to preach their religious and/or political views, or anything else, and that sign is a helpful way to shut them up.
Obviously the OP doesn’t know, which is why the thread exists.
Which federal law could possibly regulate speech between bus drivers and passengers? 
Again, that’s the point of the question. Duh.
Shouldn’t an adult know the answer already?
A law that regulates driver safety on Federal Highways.
It damn well should be. As a regular bus passenger, I’m sick to death of people holding up the bus by trying to conversate with the driver or ask them route information. Read the mapbook, people.
Well if you know the answer to that, then by all means, please enlighten the rest of us children. :rolleyes:
It certainly is not illegal in Colorado. The only restriction is standing in front of a line that is roughly even with the back of the driver’s seat.
At one time MUNI buses in San Francisco all had signs behind the driver which said:***“Information Gladly Given But Safety Requires Avoiding Unnecessary Conversation”***This enigmatic statement apparently was intended to confuse people who otherwise would be talking to the driver, as they tried to figure out its exact purpose.
Moderator Note
Don’t threadshit.
In GQ, we don’t want to hear how stupid you think the question is. If you think it has a simple answer, just post the answer. You’ve been around here more than long enough to be aware of this.
https://www.candgnews.com/news/distracted-driving-of-any-type-now-a-civil-infraction-in-warren-111194
More specially illegal and not up to police judgement here
Neither of those two links are to the actual laws as written, and neither mentions talking to a bus driver as crime.
Here are the Michigan traffic laws - http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(fpwgv0u0xu43j4wxlg3pvc3p))/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectName=mcl-300-1949-VI
And here is the specific law related to texting - http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(fpwgv0u0xu43j4wxlg3pvc3p))/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectName=mcl-257-602b